At the end of last term, the Waitākere College First XI Boys’ Football team competed in a two-game relegation playoff. A win would secure their place in the prestigious A1 competition, while a loss would mean relegation to A2.
The first leg was played at home, where the boys secured a 2–1 victory thanks to goals from Jared Soma and Patrick Anson, giving them a narrow advantage heading into the second leg at McLeod Park.

The return match was a nail-biting affair. Down 2–0 with just 10 minutes to play, Waitākere were awarded a penalty, which Patrick Anson calmly converted to make it 2–1. With the aggregate score level after 90 minutes, the tie went into extra time.
Neither side could find a winner, and so the match went to penalties. Waitākere held their nerve with Patrick Anson, Aiden Sanderson, and Rhys Dellow all converting their spot kicks. Goalkeeper Archie Weir came up with a crucial save during the shootout to help seal a dramatic victory for Waitākere.

The final whistle sparked a pitch invasion as supporters flooded the field to celebrate the boys' success in retaining their place in the A1 competition. With the win, Waitākere remains the highest-ranked West Auckland school in the Auckland Secondary Schools league!

A huge thank you to the teachers, staff, parents, students, and supporters who turned out for this important occasion. The team’s first A1 fixture this term is against Rangitoto College, where they’ll be aiming for a strong performance to kick off the season.